Follow us

Drakelow Sightings by Tom Cockburn

Join us

DRAKELOW NATURE RESERVE: Monday 6th November 0645 – 1145. An early visit was bedevilled by a fog bank along the river valley and over the lagoons making the object of the visit – the Cormorant roost - impossible to see. It was 0830 before it became visible and only one bird was in it at that time. In previous foggy conditions birds have normally remained on site until it lifted so it will never be known if they were affected by any firework displays from across the river. Five birds were in the North Pool, where there are always a few birds during the day, and two were on the topmost branches of the trees so they may have not been affected by any noise. Attention then turned to the swans on the river and over the complete section only 24 birds were seen compared with yesterday’s 63. Even today, two canoeists put a party of birds to flight. Today’s compliment was made up of four sets of two, one of six, one of nine and single bird that was showing territorial behaviour towards the others. In addition six birds flew through the area to the east doubtless to re-join the Burton-on-Trent herd. In the North Pool there was a Little Egret and a Green Sandpiper and it was noticeable that duck numbers were down overall. Omitted from yesterday’s blog was the record of a male Yellowhammer, a species that is seldom recorded on site these days.